Nelvana expands digital footprint with Coolroom

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TORONTO -- Increasing its reach in the digital sell-through market, Canadian cartoon producer Nelvana on Monday said it will make about 650 of its library episodes available to consumers via U.K.-based download store Coolroom.

Toronto-based Nelvana said the kids digital retail agreement with Coolroom will see classic cartoons from "Babar" to "Rupert" viewed on PCs via the Coolroom IPTV channel, and then possibly downloaded to own or rent from £0.60 ($1.18) per episode.

Doug Murphy, president of Nelvana Enterprises, said the Coolroom agreement enables the cartoon producer to become a leader in the digital direct to consumer universe.

Nelvana began selling its content direct over the Internet in 2006 when it launched TreehouseDirect as a digital download site. The strategy has marked a move away from the middlemen, including broadcasters and home video distributors, that have traditionally stood in the way of getting Nelvana cartoons to consumers after their initial broadcast runs.